How this Longreach uni student wants to change the world

A WIRADJURI student from the tiny town of Longreach has been given a golden opportunity to work in STEM and advance her field.

Keely Perry has been awarded two scholarships from Origin and found an internship at Westpac with CareerTrackers. Picture: Contributed

SHE comes from a place where students rarely have opportunities to advance into major STEM careers, but second-year University of Queensland biotechnology student Keely Perry is breaking down barriers and working towards changing the world.

The Wiradjuri woman was High School captain in 2018 and worked part-time as a bakery supervisor, but now is pursing her dreams of advancing biological and technology research.

When Ms Perry finished Year 12, she contacted CareerTrackers, which each year creates internship opportunities for hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

“My older sister spoke highly of her experience as a law student with CareerTrackers,” Ms Perry said.

“I do too – they helped me become a Westpac Learning Consultant Intern in the break between school and University.”

Ms Perry has since completed two Origin Energy internships and is involved as a mentor and mentee with the CareerTrackers / CSIRO Young Indigenous Women in STEM Academy.

“People sometimes ask how a molecular and plant biology student comes to work with Origin Energy,” Ms Perry said.

“But Origin’s interests now span plant-based renewable energy and biofuels, including biogenic production of gas, and I’m exploring postgraduate research opportunities in that exciting area.”

She is hoping to also find ways to bolster the agricultural sector.

“Getting involved with CareerTrackers, and the National Youth Science Forum for example, can be a real game-changer for students from Indigenous and rural backgrounds,” she said.

“These organisations connect you to opportunities.”

UQ pro-vice-chancellor (indigenous engagement) professor Bronwyn Fredericks said she was thrilled that increasing numbers of students like Keely were gaining exciting opportunities and a range of workplace experiences during their studies.

“UQ is encouraging our students to get involved with CareerTrackers because we can see the work they do is a great help to students when they are moving into the workforce after graduation,” Prof Fredericks said.

Ms Perry said she wanted to inspire others to work in STEM.

“Working with Origin, I really enjoyed the opportunities I had to help guide high school students on educational tours of power plants and LPG facilities,” Ms Perry said.

Through CareerTrackers, Ms Perry was invited to speak on “energy poverty” at a leadership event in Melbourne, earlier this year.

“Thanks to my experience with Origin Energy, I was able to help guide a workshop about assembling and testing solar lights from the SolarBuddy program.

“The program provides lights to communities lacking access to reliable energy, and we were able to present our lights to a Papua New Guinea representative for use in remote areas of his country.”

CareerTrackers has placed Indigenous interns across a range of fields in companies including Westpac, Lendlease, Qantas, Telstra, Herbert Smith Freehills, Nous Group, Social Ventures Australia and Sydney Theatre Company.

Originally published as